Marjorie Eaton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Marjorie Eaton
Eaton in an episode of One Step Beyond (1959)
Born	Marjorie Lee Eaton (1901-02-05)February 5, 1901 Oakland, California, U.S.
Died	April 21, 1986(1986-04-21) (aged 85) Palo Alto, California, U.S.
Resting place	Cremated
Nationality	American
Education	The Art Institute of Boston Art Students League of New York, San Francisco School of Fine Arts
Known for	Painting, Architecture, Acting
Notable work	"Taos Ceremony", "Taos Man Seated", "Man in Cloak"
Movement	Modernism, Cubism

Marjorie Lee Eaton (born February 5, 1901 – died April 21, 1986) was a talented American artist and actress. She was known for her paintings, photographs, and for playing interesting characters in movies and TV shows.

About Marjorie Eaton's Life

Marjorie Eaton was born in Oakland, California. She grew up in Palo Alto. After finishing school in 1920, she studied art. She went to The Art Institute of Boston. She also studied in Florence, Italy, and Paris, France.

In 1925, Marjorie's stepmother bought a historic house in Palo Alto. This house became a famous place for artists. Many artists, including Marjorie, lived and worked there. In 1939, Marjorie even designed and built her own adobe house nearby. She worked with a famous architect named Gregory Ain.

Marjorie took painting classes with Hans Hofmann. She also shared a studio with another artist, Louise Nevelson. They met at the Art Students League of New York. Marjorie and Louise lived below famous artists Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo. The four became close friends and fellow artists.

Marjorie Eaton's Art Career

Marjorie Eaton's famous painting, "Taos Ceremony" (around 1928–1932).

Even though Marjorie Eaton learned acting, she first wanted to be an architect or a commercial artist. Before acting, she joined an art colony in Taos, New Mexico. This was from 1928 to 1932. She also spent time in Mexico from 1933 to 1935.

In Mexico, she lived and worked with Diego Rivera. She became known for her "modernist" art. Her paintings had bold lines and strong colors. They were also influenced by Cubism, a style of art.

One of her paintings, "Taos Ceremony," was shown in an art exhibit in 2008. This exhibit featured art from Colorado and New Mexico. However, Marjorie found it hard to earn a living as a woman artist. So, she stopped painting and started acting instead.

Marjorie Eaton's Acting Career

Marjorie Eaton in the movie Night Tide (1961).

Marjorie Eaton acted in both movies and plays. She performed in several plays on Broadway. Her first movie role was in Anna and the King of Siam in 1946. She played many different characters.

Some of her other roles include:

• Hester Forstye in That Forsyte Woman (1949)
• Madame Romanovitch in Night Tide (1961)
• Hetty March in the science fiction movie Monstrosity (1963)
• Miss Persimmon in Mary Poppins (1964)
• Sister Ursula in The Trouble with Angels (1966)

In 1979, when she was 78, Marjorie Eaton filmed a scene for the second Star Wars movie. This was The Empire Strikes Back. In this scene, she played the role of Emperor Palpatine. She wore a lot of makeup for the part. Another actress, Elaine Baker, also filmed the scene. The final character had chimpanzee eyes added. The voice was done by Clive Revill.

Neither actress was given credit on screen. It's not clear which actress appeared in the final movie. In 2004, the scene was re-filmed for the DVD release. This time, Ian McDiarmid played Emperor Palpatine. He played the character in all the other Star Wars movies.

Later Life and Passing

In March 1986, Marjorie Eaton had a stroke. She passed away on April 21, 1986. She was at her childhood home in Palo Alto. Her family was with her. After her memorial service, her ashes were scattered. Half were spread over her childhood home. The other half were spread in Taos, where she had spent many years as an artist.

Marjorie Eaton's Film Roles

Marjorie Eaton appeared in many movies throughout her career.

Marjorie Eaton's TV Appearances

Marjorie Eaton also acted in many television shows.

Marjorie Eaton's Theatre Roles

Marjorie Eaton also performed in several plays on Broadway. These include:

• Merchant of Venice
• Bell, Book and Candle in 1950
• In the Summer House in 1953
• One Eye Closer in 1954